The effect of age on blink reflex excitability recovery

Background: The effect of age on blink reflex excitability recovery has not as yet been investigated. Methods: We studied blink reflex excitability recovery bilaterally in 60 healthy volunteers (32 males, mean age=40.7, SD=13.2; 28 females, mean age=39.7, SD=12.1) following right supraorbital nerve stimulation with paired pulses (0.2ms constant current square pulses, 10 times sensory threshold intensity, 160, 300, and 500ms interstimulus intervals, ISI). Six responses were amplified, filtered (30–3000Hz), rectified, and on-line averaged. At least 15 seconds were interspersed between consecutive stimulus pairs. R…